Viewing Enterprise Resource Planning systems as Services: A conceptual view, based on practical experiences, of designing information systems as services

Abstract

Viewing information systems (IS) as services is beneficial but still an unexplored approach for IS in organizations. The aim of this exercise is to contribute to the knowledge base on designing IS as services. This paper presents an analysis of enterprise resource planning (ERPs) systems through the lens of service oriented architecture (SOA). Services are explained and defined through SOA theory. IS are explained and defined through ERP theory. This paper contributes to the debate on viewing IS as services by presenting a view of ERPs facilitating to fulfill business needs. This paper is influenced by systems and design thinking, and service oriented IS development. Framed by shared promises between SOA and ERP systems we discuss the question whether SOA or ERP fulfills business needs? The analysis of ERPs from a SOA perspective provides us with the conclusion that the question is not about SOA or ERP but rather to provide SOA architected ERPs. It can be said that by viewing ERPs as services it is clear that the combination of ERPs and SOA could be seen as one way forward when designing software aiming at bridging the gaps supporting IS and business processes and allowing the business shaping the IS